Pelosi protests new Benghazi committee by declining to appoint Democrats to it — for now

posted at 3:21 pm on May 9, 2014 by Allahpundit

You can read the full text of the letter she sent to Boehner at the Examiner. Fox News heard from its sources a few hours ago that she was thinking of appointing a single Dem to the committee, which makes sense. She and her caucus want to show people that they think it’s illegitimate, which counsels a boycott, but they also don’t want GOP members having a field day with Democratic witnesses on TV with no Dems on the committee to push back, which counsels participation. Obvious solution: Partial boycott. Let Elijah Cummings participate, rant about a witch hunt and show trial and “evil tree” or whatever, and leave the other Democratic seats on the platform empty. I still think that’s the way they’ll go.

Sounds to me like those three elements in the first paragraph are her demands for full Democratic participation. If Boehner refuses, then she’ll only send one or two members. (I’d be shocked if they skipped it entirely.) But that raises a question: What would Boehner like to see happen here? Does he want a Dem boycott? Does he care either way? They’re going to screech that the committee’s bogus no matter what happens, in which case maybe Boehner figures that it’s better not to have them there at all. Let Gowdy and the rest of the GOP contingent have free rein to tee off on Democratic witnesses. After a few days of that, Pelosi will cave and appoint some Democratic members whether he agrees to her demands or not. I’m eager to see if he calls her bluff here.

Two vids for you. The first is of Pelosi at her presser today, complaining that people are either tired of Benghazi or “they never knew about it in the first place,” which … would seem to suggest that a select committee is needed. The second is the DNC’s first attempt to delegitimize the committee with advertising. Prepare for much, much more of this.

Blowback

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Comments

That should be the first line of attack. Demand release of PDB’s from at least two weeks prior and two weeks after the Benghazi assassinations and investigate the trail of actions (inactions) from there.

I’m amazed that she didn’t jump at the chance to appoint some heavy thinkers from her party like Sheila Jackson Lee, Maxine Waters, Hank “Guam” Johnson, Charlie Rangel, Diane Feinstein, and Barbara Boxer.

She’s the one raising the specter of all this…if she showed some reserve and grace she could tamp it all down whatever the outcome…but no.
Dems apparently are very very afraid of what there is to be found out and that Gowdy will find it.

Well, it was the favored mantra question during much of of the Issa hearings.
I’ll assume you do not accept that the answer is ‘no one gave such an order’? Even FoxNews now accepts that answer, but you’re not able to.
What answer or answers would you deem acceptable to that question?
Would you like the answer to be Obama?
Or would you prefer Leon Panetta?
With the election coming, perhaps Hillary would be the favored answer?
But then there’s also the much pined for answer, Valerie Jarret.
Maybe easier for you if I just offer an ‘all of the above’.
Do you rule out any of the above?
Is there anyone I’ve left on the list I should consider here?

There is another good one to add:
- Where was the extraction plan to get our critical foreign service and national security personnel from Benghazi?

Libya was still undergoing the shooting aftermath of a civil war and had a very unstable regime. Terrorists roamed around freely. The UK and Red Cross had already bugged out of the place, and warned us they were being targeted for attacks and so was the US. The US installation there had already taken one attack earlier as things were getting set up.

With all of that, how can any Sec State or President send such a high level Ambassador into that sort of situation WITHOUT a plan to get him and other critical personnel out in an emergency or at least deploy SSM or air to ground assets to cover them if they are attacked?

That is not incompetence: there are too many experienced hands on board in both State and the military to NOT bring this up.

Were any plans drawn up?

If so WHY WERE THEY NOT USED?

Why was our Ambassador left hung out to dry?

Why were our national security agents at the CIA complex left out in the cold and stuck with their own resources during an attack and not given any direction to HELP SAVE THE AMBASSADOR?

Every damned operation in hostile territory, which Libya was and IS TO THIS DAY, has such plans in place when high level personnel are going there.

Why were these people left out for target practice on 9/11? Didn’t that day ring a bell with anyone?

The pattern of denial of protection is just that: a pattern that has, at its end, four good men assassinated in an act of war.

Why doesn’t the President address an act of war against our Nation?

He is CinC, that is his territory to tell us about such things and those looking to do ill to our Nation and people. That was his personally chosen, hand-picked Ambassador that was assassinated, thus representing him and the Nation at the same time. As Head of Government that man is also to receive adequate protection for the circumstances, and to come forward and honestly describe the events that took place in an act of war.

Head of State.

Head of Government.

CinC.

Which individuals refused to lift a hand to help our fellow citizens? Why weren’t they fired? Why are such imbeciles still in service? Why doesn’t the President hold his chain of command accountable for the ill-actions taken in his name?

If he does not name them, does not fire them and then tries to protect them, then this is HIS FAULT completely from top to bottom.

Lying to the American people about an act of war is a betrayal of his duties as CinC and Head of State. As Head of Government it is his duty to hold those who did not act accountable, thus he neglects his duties. He has protected our enemies more than his own people who TRUSTED HIM to protect them in service TO HIS FOREIGN POLICY.

It isn’t what happened.

It is why it happened, and that is tied up inextricably with what happened. Get one, you get the other.

Well, it was the favored mantra question during much of of the Issa hearings.
I’ll assume you do not accept that the answer is ‘no one gave such an order’? Even FoxNews now accepts that answer, but you’re not able to.

What’s up with Pelosi when she speaks? Have you ever noticed that her hand gestures don’t match up with what she’s saying? She looks so uncoordinated. There’s some kind of disconnect going on with her.

TarheelBen on May 9, 2014 at 3:44 PM

Short answer: she’s demented.

Her bizarre hand gestures and arm-waving give her the appearance of some depraved fusion of puppeteer and choir director. The chronic slurring of her words makes her appear liquored up, though her lip-smacking and general zonked-out-ness suggest drug use (whether legal or not).

I mean it: on her last day in public office, I pop the cork on a bottle of champagne.

OK, in addition to asking for the PDB’s, please provide the Cross Border Authority request issued to Libyan Government (Signed by the CIC) to allow any military assets to flyover and into Benghazi.

We’ll wait…..

can_con on May 9, 2014 at 4:44 PM

To the larger point. We helped overthrow the government! The U.S. and NATO was basically in charge. Your telling me we need a CBA by Libya to send aircraft or personnel in? That sounds like a typical Washington CYA excuse.

I’ll assume you do not accept that the answer is ‘no one gave such an order’? Even FoxNews now accepts that answer, but you’re not able to.

If you believed that were true, you wouldn’t be so afraid Gowdy will find documents that show otherwise. But you are. You are so very, very afraid. So are your leaders.

That is why we are going forward. If you all believed what you say you believe, you’d be as excited for the final outcome as we are, because you’d think nothing would get found. It’s not like we can manufacture White House emails… They will say what they say. We want to see it. You don’t.

That’s what is meant when one talks about chips falling where they may.

The Benghazi debacle boils down to a single key factor — the granting or withholding of “cross-border authority.” This opinion is informed by my experience as a Navy SEAL officer who took a NavSpecWar Detachment to Beirut.

Once the alarm is sent – in this case, from the consulate in Benghazi — dozens of HQs are notified and are in the planning loop in real time, including AFRICOM and EURCOM, both located in Germany. Without waiting for specific orders from Washington, they begin planning and executing rescue operations, including moving personnel, ships, and aircraft forward toward the location of the crisis. However, there is one thing they can’t do without explicit orders from the president: cross an international border on a hostile mission.

It’s simple stuff, really, Nancy. People who care about this country and those who serve just want to know why the repeated requests for increased security were ignored, what was the mission there anyway, why wasn’t help available in case of another attack, since there had already been several, why wasn’t help sent once it was known they were under attack, why did they lie about what happened, why did they ignore Congress’ requests for the emails, why has no one admitted they lied, why has no one been arrested, and where was the president? Those are the things I’d like to know. Go suck an egg you silly old fool. She’s afraid something more will come out to taint their precious royal candidate, you know, the one who didn’t think Boko Haram was a threat.

Q: So you had mentioned that the first team from Tripoli to Benghazi arrived at 1:15?

A: Right.

Q: And was there a second team that was organized? Could you tell us about the second team?

A: Right. The second team — the Defense Attache worked assiduously all night long to try to get the Libyan military to respond in some way. Early in the morning — sorry, after we were formally notified by the Prime Minister, who called me, that Chris had passed, the Libyan military agreed to fly their C-130 to Benghazi and carry additional personnel to Benghazi as reinforcements. Because we at that time — at that time, the third attack, the mortar attack at 5:15, had not yet occurred, if I remember correctly.

Q: So what time did the second rescue team ??

A: Well, again, they flew — I think that flight took off sometime between 6:00 and 6:30 a.m.

Q: At that point, you are the Chief of Mission?

A: Yeah, I’m Chief of Mission effective 3:00 a.m.

******

Q: Now, did any of the Special Forces folks, were they planning at any time to travel on that second aircraft?

A: On the second, on the C-130? Yes. We fully intended for those guys to go, because we had already essentially stripped ourselves of our security presence, or our security capability to the bare minimum …

******

A: So Lieutenant Colonel Gibson, who is the SOCAFRICA commander, his team, you know, they were on their way to the vehicles to go to the airport to get on the C-130 when he got a phone call from SOCAFRICA which said, you can’t go now, you don’t have authority to go now. And so they missed the flight. And, of course, this meant that one of the …

Q : They didn’t miss the flight. They were told not to board the flight.

A: They were told not to board the flight, so they missed it. So, anyway, and yeah. I still remember Colonel Gibson, he said, “I have never been so embarrassed in my life that a State Department officer has bigger balls than somebody in the military.” A nice compliment.

Q: Now, at this point, are you having communications with Washington?

A: I was in communications with Washington all night long. I was reporting all night long what was happening to Washington by telephone.

Q: When these Special Forces folks were told essentially to stand down, what was your next move? Did you have a recourse? Were you able to call Washington? Were you able to call anyone at this point to get that decision reversed?

A: No, because the flight was — the flight was leaving. And, you know, if they missed — you know, if the vehicles didn’t leave when they leave, they would miss the flight time at the airport. And the airport — you know, we were going all the way to Mitiga. The C-130 is at Mitiga, which is all the way on the other side of Tripoli.

Q: What was the rationale that you were given that they couldn’t go, ultimately?

Benghazi on September 11, 2012 was one of the most dangerous places in the world. And we helped to make it that way by assisting in knocking over their government – without congressional approval. The jihadists who hit us in Benghazi were the same ones we were assisting against Qadaffi.

I’m amazed that she didn’t jump at the chance to appoint some heavy thinkers from her party like Sheila Jackson Lee, Maxine Waters, Hank “Guam” Johnson, Charlie Rangel, Diane Feinstein, and Barbara Boxer.

NoPain on May 9, 2014 at 4:21 PM

Hehe. She could send Alan Grayson in there to pound his shoe on the table 8 hours a day.

Like your Heroin Hillary Clinton did in 2007, when she attended a Congressional Hearing about the Iraq Surge and called the main witness (a 4 Star General, no less!) a Liar before he had even uttered a single word of testimony?

I’m wondering: Can’t Bohner invite some Democrat representatives himself? Aren’t there one or two Democrats that would put the search for truth above partisanship? Even if the Democrat leadership pressures them not to attend, that would just make them look like the partisans here.

Another question: What happened to all the personnel that survived the attack? What additional information can they add about what transpired that night and subsequent to that night. More specifically, why have they been so silent? Why have they been dispursed to the far reaches of the world? Why have we not heard from them? Were they ordered to remain silent? Were they threatened?

There is no one else in the pipeline for 2016.
Joseph K on May 9, 2014 at 3:47 PM
Elizahontas is available AND she knows how to go on the warpath against the GOP palefaces.
Bishop on May 9, 2014 at 3:53 PM

I’ll assume you do not accept that the answer is ‘no one gave such an order’? Even FoxNews now accepts that answer, but you’re not able to.

If you believed that were true, you wouldn’t be so afraid Gowdy will find documents that show otherwise. But you are. You are so very, very afraid. So are your leaders.

That is why we are going forward. If you all believed what you say you believe, you’d be as excited for the final outcome as we are, because you’d think nothing would get found. It’s not like we can manufacture White House emails… They will say what they say. We want to see it. You don’t.

That’s what is meant when one talks about chips falling where they may.

Dirty Creature on May 9, 2014 at 4:51 PM

A+

If Ben Ghazi is, as the Dems and their Cultists believe, a “nothingburger”, then they should welcome the chance to prove it on a national stage.

But the fact that they are all squealing like stuck pigs is because they know there is something about Ben Ghazi hidden, something that they desperately don’t want to come out.

What that is is anyone’s guess. But it’s obviously enough to have them in the utter panic that they’re exhibiting this week.

For YEARS, democrats have run roughshod over republicans when they are in the majority. But the republicans have acquiesced to every democrat and media demand when they are in power. Don’t fault Pelosi for thinking that 2014 is no different. I just pray that the republicans don’t back down.

Why were no military assets sent to help those in Benghazi? We know for a fact that there were Navy assets at NAS Sigonella Sicily, which could have been there in less than an hour.

TarheelBen on May 9, 2014 at 4:40 PM

Do you feel that this question wasn’t pursued diligently in the Issa hearings? He was swinging in every direction and couldn’t land a single punch.
What The Benghazi conspiracy theorists suggest is not just nefarious motives and behavior by Obama and everyone in his admin, but also by every senior official the US State Department and the leaders of the US Military and US Intelligence. It also requires that you hold the position the ARB is part of a cover up and that all involved knowingly participated in perpetuating falsehoods.
One also must accept that this is true despite any real evidence.
So…I’m just not gonna jump on the bandwagon.

Here’s what we know – the Ambassador and the compound were inadequately protected. Hindsight allows us to know that many things that could and should have been done differently – from having a stronger defensive presence all the way through not being there at all. I support all the legitimate work that’s been done in that regard and would welcome any additional efforts in which the sincere goal was preventing a similar tragedy from ever occurring in the future. I have nothing but respect and admiration for those who serve knowing that not only can their safety not be guaranteed, but fully aware that they are exposed to a very high risk of harm.
They deserve much more than to have that heroism be tainted with partisan posturing for political gain…by anyone.

Just tell the sea hag Dems have 24hrs to pick their reps, and oh by the way….If you voted against the formation of the committee you will not be allowed to sit on the committee since you didn’t want to get to the bottom of the investigation. You will only be there to obstruct.

I have nothing but respect and admiration for those who serve knowing that not only can their safety not be guaranteed, but fully aware that they are exposed to a very high risk of harm.

They deserve much more than to have that heroism be tainted with partisan posturing for political gain…by anyone.

verbaloon on May 9, 2014 at 5:54 PM

Yeah, you’re right-only Republicans do that!

Choke on your own stupidity, Cultist!

‘Did your son always have balls the size of cue balls?’ Biden’s bizarre question angers father of Navy SEAL who died in Benghazi attack

Mother of Benghazi Victim: Obama, Biden, Clinton, Panetta Said They Would Get Back to Me, But I ‘Heard Absolutely Nothing’

Pat Smith, the mother of Sean Smith, an American dipomat killed in the 9/11 attacks in Benghazi, accused President Obama, the vice president, and two Cabinet members of not keeping promises they made to her at her son’s funeral. She said Obama, Joe Biden, then-secretary of state Hillary Clinton, and then-secretary of defense Leon Panetta all told her they would look into the circumstances of her son’s death and get back to her, but they never did.

They deserve much more than to have that heroism be tainted with partisan posturing for political gain…by anyone.

verbaluce on May 9, 2014 at 5:54 PM

Amazing. Who is it that lied about this situation prior to a national election?

Do you feel that this question wasn’t pursued diligently in the Issa hearings? He was swinging in every direction and couldn’t land a single punch.

As evidenced by the emails released to Judicial Watch, this White House has been lying all along and stonewalling this investigation. They lied by saying all documents had been released; they lied about their role in the talking points given to Susan Rice. Hence, the need for a select committee. Why are you so afraid of this investigation by Trey Gowdy? If there’s no there there, then this investigation should bear that out, right?

Amazing. Who is it that lied about this situation prior to a national election?

Do you feel that this question wasn’t pursued diligently in the Issa hearings? He was swinging in every direction and couldn’t land a single punch.

As evidenced by the emails released to Judicial Watch, this White House has been lying all along and stonewalling this investigation. They lied by saying all documents had been released; they lied about their role in the talking points given to Susan Rice. Hence, the need for a select committee. Why are you so afraid of this investigation by Trey Gowdy? If there’s no there there, then this investigation should bear that out, right?

TarheelBen on May 9, 2014 at 6:15 PM

Don’t confuse the Unit with Facts. It is not programmed to respond in that area.

One suggestion to put this probem behind rapidly would bebto take a page from the International Court of Justice, of all things. When they were doing the Advisory Opinion, and Israel refused to participate, the ICJ appointed counsel to argue Israel’s notional position. Obviouslyit was imperfect but might be a useful approach here.

Have Gowdy, or Boehner or whoever can do it…maybe pass a resolution…simply say they will not allow the Dems to delay or obstruct this important process and, in the interests of fairness appoint a counsel to represent the Dems notional position. Then get a real lawyer, as opposed to a hack, who could simply analyze and deal with matters fairly from the Dem view.

Tell Nance that he’d like Dem participation, However the minority party will have fewer seats than the majority party. If she choses to not send representatives the GOP will seat a full panel to ensure that people have opportunities to ask questions.

They deserve much more than to have that heroism be tainted with partisan posturing for political gain…by anyone.
verbaluce on May 9, 2014 at 5:54 PM

Hey Verb, thats the whole point. The administration fabricated a story and has lied and tried to cover up for the last two years all in the name of “posturing for political gain”. Its as if you almost get it. Yes, the victims of this tragedy that did not have to happen to deserve this.

Oh, just tell her that the committee will contain twelve members, and that she is allowed to appoint five. If she fails to appoint all five, then the Republicans can appoint however many it takes to make a full dozen.

So if she appoints only one Dem, then the committee will consist of eleven Republicans and one Democrat.

Announce that the democrats who voted for the select committee are welcome to show up on it, expand the total to fifteen. So there are eight republicans to go with the seven democrats. Tell the rest that aren’t interested in the truth to go pound sand.

Democrats tactics are always the same – This reminds me of the “Run and Hide” Democrats in Wisconsin when Gov. Scott Walker pursued raining in Run-Away state spending. They ran and hid in the state of Illinois. History shows what that achieved.

Thank You Nancy – You hiding Dem’s face in the sand will allow REAL AMERICANS to get WORK DONE!

Let’s put it this way, what would the Democrats do? I think Boehner should just say there wouldn’t be an investigation if the White House turned over all the related documents, un-redacted, and answer some very important questions about why it was necessary to lie to the American People. If I were Boehner, I’d keep pushing that line because that’s really what this is all about. Sure there have been many investigations and along with that lies and a lack of the relevant documents from the administration.

The Democrats and the President have complete control over this and, if they were to do the right thing before the first meeting, it probably wouldn’t happen. It’s only a waste of time if all the facts are out. Until then it’s doing what’s necessary to find out why a sitting U.N. Ambassador was sent out to lie to the American people and the mindset in an administration that believed this is the correct way to govern.

Nancy has not a clue. This is some of the best of the Democratic party.
How’s this for a twist.
Boehner offers the five openings to volunteers.
They can not be Republicans but can be Democrats OR from the Public such as the news media or concerned citizens groups.

This is still all show in my book. What is the real question here. Just two?

DID THE GOVERNMENT INTENALLY LIE TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC?
The who and when are not important. That fact that they did is malfeasance of office by all those involved in the lie.

DID ANY MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT RECEIVE PERSONAL GAIN FROM THE LIES?
The personal gain of re-election and a few promotions comes to mind. Direct involvement in the lie is not important. It is the receiving of gain that is the crime.

The only reason to try to make this sound so complicated is to cloud the issue.

To forget this issue is to say that the people in power can do what they wish as long as they can hide the truth long enough. That is just so wrong. We are a nation of laws made up of decent citizens that deserve an honest government.

Republicans should hold a press conference with the families of the victims and have them state that none of them requested Pelosi back-off from the investigation and that what they really really want is justice, and a select committee is what they’d like to see take place.

Ask Pelosi point out which families say they don’t want to find the killers or want to find out what went wrong so it doesn’t happen again to someone else.